Marine propulsion



Oct. 4, 1949. R. NOWAK 2,433,663

MARINE PROPULSION Filed Jan. 12, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet i Oct. 4, 1949. R. NOWAK- 2,433,653

MARINE PROPULSION Filed Jan. 12, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,483,863 MARINE PROPULSION Roman Nowak, Chicago, Ill. Application January 12, 1946, Serial No. 640,856 3 Claims. (Cl. 115-12) The present invention relates to marine propulsion, and is particularly concerned with an improved method of marine propulsion and improved marine structures, whereby passenger and freight ships may be propelled at a much higher speed than can be accomplished by any of the devices of the prior art.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved method of marine propulsion by means of which the ship being propelled is subjected to the pull of airplane propellers driven by modern airplane motors and simultaneously subjected to the impelling action of the air delivered by such airplane propellers, to nozzles or discharge ports located below the level of the water.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ship construction of the class described, in which the hull of the ship is provided with a streamlined superstructure adapted to minimize the resistance of the air to the motion of the ship and provided with a suitable under-water structure so that the ship will be lifted above its normal water line at standing position to reduce the head-on resistance and to cause the ship to be propelled substantially above the surface of the water.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved mode of marine propulsion, which is accomplished by the use of a plurality of modern "airplane motors and airplane propellers for drawing the air into suitable conduits at the bow of the boat, and which is also provided with a turbine compressor structure drivenby the same motor and on the same shaft for taking the air delivered by the airplane propellers and successively compressing the air while still passing it through at a high velocity so that it may be delivered in such manner as to provide a mode of jet'propulsion, the jet being preferably applied below the water line and underneath the bottom of the boat.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved marine structure adapted to be propelled by means of airplane engines and airplane propellers, which produce a predetermined velocity in the air passing through the conduits provided for the air, and also with air turbines for taking the air at high velocity and compressing it and changing a predetermined velocity energy in the air to pressure energy so that the air delivered from nozzles below the water line may be delivered at a suitable pressure, as well as a suitable velocity for propelling the boat forward.

Anothe object of the invention is the p i ion of an improved mode of marine propulsion which to nozzles located below the water line at suitable pressure by turbo-compressors and by means of p which the boat is caused to plane on the top of the water, the major part of the skin friction between the boat and the water surface being cushioned by the delivery of the jet of air underneath the bottom or the boat and above the water that is displaced by the air Jets, so that the not only planes on top of the water, but is caused to roll upon the cushion 01 air which is located between the bottom of the hull and the top of the water.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved method or steering, an improved steering apparatus, and an improved hull structure for the boat, by means of which stability is increased.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved ship propelling structure which is simple, powerful, economical, and adapted to propel the boat at a relatively high speed in such manner that the skin resistance and the headon resistance are substantially reduced, thus saving fuel and so increasing the speed of travel that the ships so constructed will be able to compete with airplane transportation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, of which there are two sheets.

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a passenger boat embodying my invention:

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the boat in partial section; showing the structure and arrangement of the airplane propellers, airplane motors, and the turbine, which produces the desired air pressure;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the boat;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic elevational view, showing an arrangement for closing the discharge ports of the rear propelling unit so as to prevent these ports from impeding forward progress.

Referring to Fig. 1, the ship on which the present propelling devices are used is preferably constructed'of metal, such as one of the alloys of the light metals, aluminum or magnesium; and it is preferably provided with a superstructure that is streamlined to reduce the air resistance to the propulsion of the craft. Thus the top of the hull, starting at the bow l0, proceeds upward gradually with a relatively blunt curved forward wall II, and the curvature diminishes toward the top |2, tapering out to a long, flat tall at the stern I3.

This streamlined roof is interrupted only by changes which have a particular function, such as, for example, the blunt laterally curved projection M in the top l2, which has its forward wall I5 provided with a plurality of curved windows |6 for the captain's bridge and for the steering apparatus.

The front wall II is also apertured at H to provide one inlet for the air, and this inlet conduit is formed by the side walls l8 and the bottom wall l9, which preferably slopes upward. The conduit ends at a back wall 26, which has a plurality of apertures 2|, 22 for the inlet ports of air conduits which form a substantial continuation of the bottom wall l9, these conduits being substantially circular and beginning outwardly of the airplane propellers 24.

The three conduits are indicated in Fig. 4 by the numerals 25-21. These conduits 25-2| each contain a modern airplane motor, the motors being indicated by the numerals 26-36. The motors have a propeller 24 driven directly by each motor shaft.

The power of these airplane motors and the size of the propellers will vary with the size of the craft on which they are used; but it will be apparent that, although only three motors and propellers are shown, any number of suitable airplane motors and propellers may be used, and the amount of power is limited only by the motors now available for relatively large airplanes.

Beyond the motors 26-30 the conduits 25-21 are provided with a tapered portion 3|, and each motor shaft 32 is extended rearwardly of the motor and provided with a multiplicity of turbocompressor blades 33, which gradually decrease in diameter as the housing 3| also decreases in diameter.

Any suitable form of turbo-compressor may be used, such as is employed upon jet propelled airplanes; and the purpose of the turbo-compressor is to receive the air from the forward propellers 2830, which have given it a high velocity energy, and to change part of this energy into pressure energy, or to add pressure energy to the air passing through the conduit so that the 4 46 and 4| of which extend backwardly just below the bottom 31.

In order that the ship may utilize the floating power of the air that is used to propel it, the bottom is preferably formed with a centrally located ridge 42, from which the bottom curves upwardly and laterally at 43, 44, being provided with the substantially horizontal portions 45, 46.

From the horizontal portions 46, 46 the bottom 31 curves downwardly and outwardly at 48 and 46, and is bent backwardly and upwardly at the ridges 56, 5| to form the sides 52, 53. The ridges 56, 5| preferably run parallel to the keel 42 so as to reduce the head-on resistance and to provide a pair of tunnel spaces for the discharge nozzles 46, 4| for confining the air under the boat and utilizing its floating power.

The boat may be provided with the usual rudder and with feathering propellers, and with suitable speed controls for the engines. With the propellers, the boat may be steered by the control of the right and left engines. Speeding up the right engine will cause the boat to turn to the left, and this may be further assisted by slowing down the left engine, while the central engine may be used constantly for forward propulsion.

The sides 52, 53 may be provided with any form of windows 54 and doors 55, preferably of the type which can be sealed against leakage,

air will be delivered at a suitable pressure and velocity adapted to propel the boat.

The tapered conduits 3| each have downwardly curved portions 34 so as to bring their point of discharge below the surface of the water. -The conduit for the motor 29 may extend longitudinally of the keel, as indicated at 35, inside the hull, and may have its discharge at 36 at the stern of the boat above the keel.

Conduit 35 also preferably has intermediate its length a distributing manifold 60, with a pair of additional rearwardly discharging ports or nozzles 6|, 62 so that the discharge is equally distributed between the nozzles 36, 6|, 62 from the conduit 35.

The conduits for the motors 26 and 36 may extend downwardly through the bottom 31, as shown in Fig. 2, and may be provided with relatively flat nozzles 38, 39, the discharge openings and which are made of nonshatterable glass.

In order to permit the boat to maneuver in harbor and to go backwards, if necessary, it is preferably provided at its upper rear end with a fourth motor, propeller, turbine assembly 63 located in a similar conduit 64, and provided with one or more discharge males 65, which discharge forwardly.

All of the details of construction 01' this marine propulsion unit 63 may be substantially as described with respect to those located in the front of the 'boat, except that the nozzles 65 should be provided with a closure, preferably of the sliding type, comprising a plate 66 pivoted at 61 on the nozzle 65, and having a hook 66 at its opposite side for engagement about a stop but irrespective of the question whether this is the proper or only theory, the present devices are adapted to propel the boat at a speed depending upon the size of the boat with respect to the propulsion units.

The air is sucked into the conduit H by the propellers 24, and the suction thus created is one of the factors in forward propulsion of the boat. The air then passes into the conduits 2|-23, past the motors 26-30, and passes at a high velocity into the turbo-compressor 33, which add pressure energy to the air and gradually reduce the cross section of the stream until the air reaches the downwardly turned conduits 34.

Here the air is at relatively high pressure and high velocity, and it is directed out of the discharge ports 36, 46, 4| at high velocity and pressure.

The rearwardly discharging air acts to propel the boat forward by jet reaction, and the gases of combustion of the engines may be' added to the stream. At the same time the nozzles are located to be engaged with the water under the boat, and to react against the water to effect a forward propulsion.

As soon as the boat is started there are two i tween the successive troughs in the waves, "tending to reduce the roughness of the travel.

Since the boat rises to the surface of the water, the forward resistance is substantially eliminated, and nothing is left but the skin resistance of the bottom, which is further reduced by the interposition of air between the water and the hull. Thus the boat can be propelled at a very high speed; and if the hull is made relatively wide in comparison to its height, a high degree of stability is accomplished.

The high speeds at which my ship is propelled will enable it to compete with air transportation both in the shipment of freight and transmission of passengers.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, when it is desired to reverse the motion of the boat, this may be done by operating the rear motor unit 63; and since this unit discharges through two ports, these ports may have their discharge of air control by means of the sliding closures 66 in such manner that rear steering may be accomplished.

.If desired, the rearwardly extending nozzles may also be provided with closures similar to the closures 66 for use in regulating their discharge and for forward steering.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A'marine vessel comprising a hull having a bottom, the major part of which is substantially straight from bow to stern, excepting an upwardly curved freeboard at the bow, the said bottom being formed with a pair of concavely curved grooves extending longitudinally of the bottom and joined along the center of the bottom by a depending ridge forming a keel, said hull having sides and a roof bluntly curved at the bow and running to a long flat tail at the stern for a minimum air resistance, said hull having a plurality of forwardly open inlets in the blunt roof at the bow, marine propulsion means comprising motor driven airplane propellers in said inlets drawing the air inward and creating a forwardly directed suction to propel the boat, backwardly extending conduits leading from said propellers, leading downwardly toward the bottom of the boat, said conduits having openings backwardly discharging air under the hull into said grooves to react against the water under the hull, to drive the boat forward, and a turbo-compressor driven by the same propeller motor in each conduit, for compressing the air and delivering it to its outlet at a high pressure and velocity and in reduced cross-sectional area, to drive the vessel by Jet reaction and by reaction against the water under the hull, the compressed air serving also to lift the boat to the surface of the water. to reduce skin friction and head.'-on'resistance to a minimum.

2. A marine vessel comprising a hull having a running to a long flat tall at the stern for a minimum air resistance, said hull having a plu-' rality of forwardly open inlets in the blunt roof at the bow, marine propulsion means. comprising motor driven airplane propellers in said inlets drawing the air inward and creating a forwardly directed suction to propel the boat, backwardly extending conduits leading from said propellers, leading downwardly toward the bottom of the boat, said conduits having openings backwardly discharging air under the hull into said grooves to react against the water under the hull, to drive the boat forward, and a turbo-compressor driven by the same propeller motor in each conduit, for compressing the air and delivering it to its outlet at a high pressure and velocity and in reduced cross-sectional area, to drive the vessel by jet reaction and by reaction against the water under the hull, the compressed air serving also to lift the boat to the surface of the water, to reduce skin friction and head-on resistance'to a.

minimum, and means for controlling'the flow of air from one or the other of said discharge outlets, for efiecting steering of the vessel.

3. A marine vessel comprising a hull having a bottom, the major part of which is substantially straight from bow to stem, excepting an upwardsides and a roof bluntly curved at the bow and running to a long flat tall at the stern for a minimum air resistance, said hull having a plurality of forwardly open inlets in the blunt roof at the bow, marine propulsion means comprising motor driven airplane propellers in said inlets drawing the air inward and creating a forwardly directed suction to propel the boat,,backwardly extending conduits leading from said propellers, leading downwardly toward the bottom of the boat, said conduits having openings backwardly discharging air under the hull into said grooves to react against the water under the hull, to drive the boat forward, and a turbo-compressor driven by the same propellermotor in each conduit, for compressing the air and delivering it to its outlet at a high pressure and velocity and in reduced cross-sectional area, to drive the vessel by jet reaction and by reaction against the water under the hull, the compressed air serving also to lift the boat to the surface of the water, to reduce skin friction and head-on resistance to a minimum, and another backwardly facing marine propulsion unit discharging air forwardly for reversing the motion of the vessel.

ROMAN NOWAK.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record In the 1 me of this patent:

Number 8 Name Date Morlnville June 25, 1929 Price -1 Feb. 10,1931 Fleming et a1. Mar. 10, 1931 Heath Dec. 26, 1931 Tarn May 31, 1933 Brunt May 16, 1944 Havls Mar. 20, 1945 Bedding Feb. 18, 1947 

